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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. spell — magic
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. charge — in control
  9. bat — the animal
  10. file — a document
  11. charge — a price
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spell — letters
  18. file — a tool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rock — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. file — a line of people
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com